"After working as a site manager at several petroleum projects, I created RAED Services Tataouine, a staff transport service for oil site operators. Today we have a eight cars, four full-time employees, and other seasonal drivers depending on the number of contracts we have.

Staff transport is a risky business and I have to be on top of vehicle maintenance to ensure the safety of my passengers.

When the COVID-19 crisis began, drilling activity drastically reduced in the region and our clients requested new safety measures, including the installation of real-time tracking devices in our vehicles and PCR tests for all drivers before each transfer. The US government’s grant support, under USAID Tunisia JOBS’ COVID-19 Recovery Fund, helped us cope with the significant costs of these new requirements.

As a result of this support, we have been able to maintain and better equip all of our vehicles and expand our services to new markets that will create more jobs.

Developing our underserved region requires more than ideas and actions. The key word is perseverance."

Mehdi Nemri  - RAED Services Tataouine